Renting: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Hello there! This is apartment living by Erin at The Sparkle.

The GOOD

In this day and age, who likes an ironclad commitment?  (Unless you’re a woman rapidly approaching her mid thirties… but that’s another article for another time). Choosing to live in an apartment equals “freedom”.  For example: the neighborhood takes a drastic downturn and stilettos are now more of a weapon than a fashion must this season?  The warehouses next to the cannery have been converted into opulent concrete lofts and that’s where you’d like to relocate?  


Simply pack up stakes and step… that easy!  And hey, if your fridge breaks simply speed-dial the super and your problem of warm white wine is someone else’s problem. You won’t even have to break a perfectly manicured nail opening a toolbox!

 
The BAD

Picture this scenario: you’re about to leave the apartment at 8am and running late… your chatty/nosy neighbor is locking up the same time and is ready for a chat. That’s right – living in an apartment means a lack of privacy. They can hear you, and worst of all – you can hear them, and their bad taste in music (is Nickelback at 11pm really necessary?) 


Someone is always ready for a chat;  don’t let network TV fool you, it’s usually not a handsome French artist or an interesting and glamorous flight attendant next door.  My advice? keep your neighbors at arms length or before you know it, they’re standing at your door with a cup of coffee, a rash they want your opinion on and the latest building goss.

 

The UGLY

You have an invisible roommate - your landlord, and he has more say about what happens in the apartment as you do, so cozy up!  Maybe you’d like to spruce up your space with a fresh coat of paint in this year’s pantone pick?  Check with your invisible  roommate.  He may say yes, but the stipulation? You must paint it back before you leave, or there goes your damage deposit.  Maybe your dishwasher model is closer to what the Flintstones’ originally used? 


Getting it replaced will most often be a struggle. The best advice: do whatever it takes to stay the landlord’s favorite tenant above everybody else in that building.  That’s right, we’re talking birthday presents, Christmas presents, plenty of “please’s” and “thank you’s” and even accompanying their visiting mother-in-law to her eye-appointment. No one said getting what you want was going to be easy.

If you'd like to share, the good, the bad, the ugly of living in a rental, email me your submission with 3-4 pictures of your apartment! Pls use the same format as above!